The Christmas Dream
by KRDAMD5
Summary: Sometimes dreams do come true.
1. Chapter 1

The Christmas Dream

(Season 20)

I don't own em, and I don't claim to. I just like to play with em. I'll put em back in the same shape I took em out, I promise. And in case, you're worried, no, I ain't getting paid for this either.

AN: I have limited access to a computer right now, so I won't be able to respond to PM's or send any of my own. I promise to read any and all reviews, but I won't be able to reply.

xyzxyzxyzxyz

Kitty Russell leaned wearily against the polished bar top and looked around at the ragged cowboys and fancily dressed gamblers that made up her clientele for the night. Though just 2 days from Christmas, it hardly seemed so. The weather had turned cold, as it was want to do this time of year, and the calendar had flipped over each day, marking another 24 hours closer to December 25th, but it still didn't feel right.

It wasn't because it hadn't snowed. It wasn't always a guarantee that they'd have a white Christmas. And it wasn't because Matt wasn't back yet from Hays. He'd missed more than one holiday in the past and she didn't think he was hurt or that anything was wrong with him. She had a pretty good sixth sense, when it came to that cowboy, and she was pretty sure she'd know if he was in danger or something. No, it wasn't Matt.

But it was certainly something.

With a deep sigh, she straightened up and looked over at Sam. "Sam, I'm going back into my office for a while. Call you me if you need me."

"Yes, Ma'am." He smiled.

Returning the smile, Kitty wandered back to her office and sat down heavily at her desk. Though her books were almost always in order, she decided maybe working on them would take her mind off the upcoming holiday and whatever it was that was making it less than cheerful.

Hours later, she sat back in her chair and stretched, she'd worked her books to a fare-thee-well and there was nothing more she could accomplish in her office. Looking up at the clock on the top of her roll-top desk, she saw it was just past 10. She'd heard nothing, coming from the front of the saloon, so she supposed it was a quiet night. Might as well close up.

Walking out in the bar room, however, Kitty could tell that Sam had already closed up. The room was empty of patrons and employees alike, the floor was swept and the chairs up on the tables. "Hmmm." She mumbled. "Maybe I was back there longer than I thought. I wonder why Sam didn't tell me."

Shaking her head at the incongruity of it, she took the one lone lamp, that Sam had left lit for her, and slowly climbed the stairs.

Sighing as she climbed, she thought about her position here. She'd been in Dodge for nigh onto twenty years now. She'd been kidnapped, beaten and worse and still it hadn't driven her away. Despite all of the bad, and there had surely been a lot of that, there'd also been a lot of good.

Matt, her business, her friends like Doc, Sam, Festus and Newly. They were treasures she'd not have; if she'd left Dodge like she'd planned to that first day, and had tried to, several times since.

Still, even with all the good, there was an emptiness inside of her, that no business or friend or even Matt could fill. And as long as Matt continued as Marshal, she knew it would always be that way.

When she finally obtained the second floor, Kitty started towards her door when she heard it. Stopping in her tracks, she looked around, certain she'd been mistaken. But a second later, there it was again. A baby's cry. And the cry was coming from her room.

A frown creased her forehead as she walked up to her door, pausing at the threshold. There it was again and this time it was followed by the deep voice of Matt Dillon. "Hush, little one." He said in a soft gentle voice she'd only heard him use a few times. "It's alright. She'll be here in just a minute."

Opening the door, Kitty walked into a room she didn't recognize and yet she knew it was hers. Matt was sitting in a rocking chair, a small pink wrapped bundle against his shoulder. He was patting it gently on the back as he rocked slowly forth and back.

A smile graced his features when he saw her enter. "Glad you're here. Our little girl seems to have an upset stomach and I can't get her to quiet down. You're usually the only one she'll respond to."

Kitty looked at him with nothing less than total confusion. "Our little girl?"

Matt chuckled as he stood and handed the baby to her. "I guess I should've said, 'you're' little girl. She definitely likes you more than me, when she's not feeling well." Grabbing his hat, Matt quickly stepped to the door and opened it. "I've got to make my rounds. I'll be back in a little bit. See ya later, Kitty." He said as he left, closing the door firmly behind him.

For several seconds, Kitty was too stunned to do more than cradle the baby against her chest and rock it, crooning a soft lullaby into her ear until the infant settled down and went to sleep. "What the…?" She finally muttered.

Sitting down in the now empty rocker, she looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. The little one was a perfect combination of both her and Matt in features and hair. A fierce love overtook her soul as Kitty gazed at the child. Though dimly aware that this might be a dream, she also was aware that it was a dream she didn't want to wake from. Not if it meant she could keep this baby.

Her baby.

Her's and Matt's.

xyz

Out on the prairie, Matt settled himself by the fire he'd built and pulled his coat tighter. No stranger to camping outside, in even the harshest of weather, he was finding it harder and harder to deal with.

His right leg, which had been injured several times, in one way or another over the years, seemed to ache even more now when winter came. As did his shoulder and his back. Each night on the cold hard ground, it was almost impossible to get much rest and the next morning even more difficult to pull himself from his blankets and get started.

But this was the life he'd chosen, wasn't it? He'd wanted to be a lawman. And by his, and everyone else's, estimation, he'd been a damn good one. But in his estimation alone, that's all that he was.

Shaking his head ruefully at that thought, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box he'd hidden there. Opening it up, he gazed down at the broach he'd bought Kitty for Christmas. Though simple in its design, it was rich in showing his feelings for her. Or at least he hoped it was, because telling her was, by far, more difficult.

Sighing, he closed the box and put it back into his pocket, and settled himself back against his saddle. He knew he wouldn't really sleep but he hoped for a little rest. He had to ride to Garden City tomorrow and then to Spearville. It was doubtful that he'd make it back to Dodge in time for Christmas.

But he didn't achieve the rest as a couple of hours later; he sat up with a start.

Rubbing his face with a shaky hand, he looked around him when the realization hit him. He needed to go home. He needed to go back to Dodge and Kitty. He had no idea why, or how, he knew. He just knew, that if he waited, the Christmas gift, he'd bought for Kitty, wouldn't be needed.

Quickly as he could, he got to his feet, put out his meager fire, saddled his horse and quit his camp. Riding hell bent for leather back to Dodge and Kitty.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Riding all night, Matt had practically run Buck into the ground, by the time he finally reached the ridge just above Dodge, the following morning. But he didn't stop and he didn't slow down, not until he'd reached Front Street and pulled up in front of the Long Branch.

He hadn't even dismounted, however, when he saw Sam stepping out of Doc's office and he knew. "Sam?" He called as he climbed down from his horse and started up the steps.

"She's in there, Marshal." Sam said sadly, knowing he wouldn't have to explain who he was talking about. "She's alive, but she's hurt bad."

Matt asked no further questions. There'd be time enough for that. Right then he only wanted to see her. Passing Sam on the stairs, he raced to the top, two steps at a time until he paused at the threshold to catch his breath. Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped in.

Kitty was lying on the examining table, a large bandage wrapped around her head. Doc was sitting beside her, her wrist in one hand and his stethoscope against her chest in the other.

"Doc?" He whipped off his hat and stepped up next to the table, looking down at the deathly pale face of Kitty Russell.

"She was hurt pretty bad, Matt." Doc said as he pulled the stethoscope away and gently laid her arm next to her side and pulled the sheet up to her chin. "Someone came into her office, while she was working back there, and brutally hit her over the head. She's got a bad concussion. A bad one."

Matt swallowed hard and licked his suddenly very dry lips. "Could she…?"

"I don't know." Doc answered. "It's possible. The head wound is enough to ki…" He couldn't finish that sentence.

Matt sat down heavily in the chair beside the table. "Who did it?"

Doc shook his head, and took a swipe at his upper lip. "I have no idea who did it but I know why. The safe in her office was open and there was money missing, Sam said. He thinks there's some whiskey missing from the storeroom too."

"Where was Sam when this happened?" His voice took on the hard edge of anger.

"He was out front, tending bar. He said business had picked up quite a bit and the bar room was pretty noisy. He didn't hear anything. He didn't even know anything was wrong till he went back to ask her a question and found her lying on the floor. From the looks of her, I'd say someone came in from the back and hit her over the head. She probably didn't know a thing. Festus and Newly found some faint tracks out back of the Long Branch." Doc continued. "They saddled up and took off to follow them. They've not come back yet, though, so I don't know if they found anything or not."

Matt said nothing. There was nothing to say.

Doc saw the look on Matt's face, the same one he wore every time Kitty was hurt. If Festus and Newly did find the man who did this, they'd better keep Matt away from him for a while. A very long while, if Kitty died.

Tugging at his ear with a sigh, Doc walked over to the bedroom door. "I'm going to get a little rest, Matt. I've been up all night with her. Call me if she should stir or… Well, just call me."

Matt's gaze didn't leave Kitty's face as he nodded acknowledgement. Moving closer to the table, he reached out and grasped her right hand in both of his. His mind flashed back two years to the night he'd returned to town to find her lying just like this, beaten, abused and shot by Jude Bonner. He'd held her hand that night too and begged her to stay with him. "I need you." He'd told her.

Truth be told, he still needed her. His need for her had never lessened. But as he sat there, staring at her pale face, he wondered if she knew that. He knew he hadn't told her that too often, though he'd tried in many ways to show her. But words were difficult for the stoic man, especially words meant to convey emotions. He had trouble enough showing her how he felt, speaking of it was, most times, down right impossible.

Leaning back in the chair, he sought a comfortable position with which to sit while he kept vigil. He'd been awake now for the most part of 36 hours and he was bone tired. But if he had to sit in that chair for another 36 hours with no sleep, he would do it. If it meant he could watch her and make sure nothing more happened to her, he would do it. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling, if he just stayed there, with her, he could, with that action alone, keep her alive. And that was the only thing he cared about right then.

He wasn't sure when, but at some time during his bedside vigil, he must've fallen asleep. He awoke to the sound of a baby crying. Quickly, he sat up and looked over at the exam table. It was gone as was Kitty, her hand no longer in his. He was no longer in Doc's office. He was in a great room in a large overstuffed chair next to a warm fire. With his heart in his throat he jumped to his feet. "Kitty!? Kitty!?"

"Sssshhh." Kitty walked in from another room, a small pink bundle held closely to her chest. "I'm trying to get her back to sleep, Matt." She said softly and tenderly as she looked down at the tiny cherub in her arms. "What's wrong?"

Matt's mouth dropped open as he took in the sight of a hale and hearty Kitty, beautiful as ever, maybe even more so, without the makeup and elaborate hairdo and the tiny little girl in her arms. "Whe…" He licked his dry lips and tried again. "Where were you?"

"I was just in the other room, changing her diaper." Kitty looked at him strangely. "Matt, are you okay? You look kinda strange."

Matt pried his eyes off of the baby in Kitty's arms and resettled them on her face. "I… I don't know. You… you were hurt. Ho… how did you…?"

"Hurt?" Her brow crinkled. "Matt, I'm not hurt. A little tired, maybe. Babies have a tendency to take a lot out of you. But I'm not hurt." She stepped up closer to him and reached up, kissing him. "As a matter of fact, I'd say, I've never been better."

"mmmm… mmm…"

Matt's eyes snapped open and he looked around. Kitty was lying on the table as she had been and was moaning. He still had a tight grasp of her outstretched hand. The room he'd just been in, had faded away. "Kitty?" He moved over closer to the table. Her moaning stopped and she was once again still.

Matt had to take several deep breaths, while the vestiges of the dream fell away and the reality settled back down on him. There was no baby and Kitty was hurt. "Oh, God." He moaned.

"Matt?" Doc stepped into the room. "What's wrong? She come to?"

Finally regaining control of his self, Matt shook his head. "She moaned a little, but she didn't wake up."

Doc grabbed his stethoscope and put his glasses on as he shuffled over to her side. Taking a look at the big man at her side, he saw how worn out he was. "Matt, why don't you go get some rest. You can't be any help to Kitty, if you're exhausted. Besides you need a bath and some clean clothes wouldn't hurt you. Go on. I'll send for you if she stirs."

For a second, Matt started to protest, but he realized Doc was right. "You'll send for me?"

"Go on." Doc ordered.

Wearily, Matt softly rubbed her hand with his calloused thumb, before nodding. "I'll be at the jail."

Doc said nothing as he watched Matt leave and then looked back down at Kitty with a sigh.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As Matt stepped out of Doc's office, he pulled his coat tighter around him. The sky was still refusing to snow, even though it was surely cold enough for it. But Matt relished the cold. It helped alleviate some of the exhaustion that had wrapped around him like a cloak and cluttered his mind with things like… Babies.

The dream came back to him full force. He could still see Kitty with the tiny baby wrapped tightly in her embrace and the happy smile on her face. Shaking his head, he willed those thoughts away and headed down the street to the jail. It wasn't a certainty that Kitty would even live, much less have a child.

His child.

His and Kitty's.

xyz

Kitty heard the crying again. Her baby needed her. Forcing herself to her feet, she stumbled into the other room to once again find Matt, as before, with their daughter against his shoulder. "I heard her cry."

Matt nodded. "Just a wet diaper." He smiled tenderly down at the wee babe. "She needed daddy's attention for a little bit." A look of concern suddenly crossed his face and Matt quickly stepped over to her. "Honey, are you alright? You look a little pale."

Kitty didn't reply for a moment as she took stock of herself, but finally she nodded. "I'm… I'm just a little tired, I guess. I've not gotten much sleep, with you gone and her with the colic."

"I'm sorry, Honey." Matt smiled as he patted her stomach. " But I'm here now. Hopefully by the time the next one gets here, my retirement papers will be in and we'll deal with all this together."

Kitty looked down to see that she was indeed pregnant again, her swollen stomach proof of his words. Chuckling she reached over and kissed him. "I sure do hope so." She said. Just then she felt the most amazing thing, she'd ever felt. "Matt!" She said in a voice filled with awe. "Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"Just give me your hand." She said. When Matt extended his arm, she grabbed his hand and placed it against her stomach. Just then, as if on cue, the baby kicked hard. "Feel that?" She smiled beautifully. "It's our son. He's kicking."

Matt chuckled as he leaned over to kiss her. "Our son, huh?"

Just as the pain hit and everything else was obliterated from Kitty's mind.

xyz

Matt jerked up from his pillow and looked blearily around the room. Although he thought the cold had sufficiently aroused him enough to actually get something done, he'd soon found different, once he was back in the warmth of the small jail building. It hadn't been long before he'd taken refuse in the cot, vowing to only take a short nap before he cleaned up a little and went back over to Doc's.

How long he'd been asleep he wasn't sure. He didn't know when he'd laid down. For several moments he looked around trying to figure out what had brought him from his slumber, when finally he realized it was Kitty. She was crying out in pain.

Getting to his feet, he walked around to the door that led to the cell area and opened it. Only there weren't cells beyond that door. A bedroom was revealed to him when he opened it. His bedroom. Walking in, he found Kitty sitting on the side of the bed. Kitty was holding tightly to her stomach and moaning pitifully. "Matt," she cried. "Matt, you gotta go get Doc. It's time, Matt. The baby's coming."

Panicked, Matt turned back for the door, but saw to his relief that Doc was just coming in. "Doc, thank God!" He exclaimed. "It's Kitty. The baby's coming. It's her time."

"Alright, Matt." Doc said calmly. "Tell you what. You go get some water boiled and I'll tend to Kitty. Well, go on." Doc urged him when he hesitated. "Don't worry, she'll be alright."

With an uncertain nod, Matt turned back towards the old pot-bellied stove by the window, to find it gone, replaced with a sleek newer stove complete with four burners on top and an oven. The water was already on top of the stove and ready to pull off.

Matt didn't question the sudden appearance of the stove, nor of the neatly kept kitchen, it was sitting in. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he knew he was dreaming. But it was a pleasant dream and he didn't want to disturb it.

As he pulled the pan of water off of the heat, he heard a small voice behind him. "Daddy?"

Turning, he saw a small miniature version of Kitty standing behind him, holding tightly to the hand of an even smaller version of himself. "Is Mama gonna be alright?" The child asked. "Her's been hollerin' an awful lot."

Kneeling, Matt pulled both children into his arms, hugging them tightly for a moment. "She's going to be just fine, Rachel." He smiled at the beautiful little girl with golden red ringlets and her mama's smile. "It's just that your baby brother or sister is taking time in getting here. But don't you worry, Granpa's in there with her and she'll be alright."

"Matthew?"

Matt turned towards the voice as the kitchen and the children disappeared to be replaced by the grizzled countenance of Festus Hagen looming over him.

"Matthew? When'd you git here?"

Matt sat up quickly, nearly knocking Festus back on his feet. "What time is it?" He demanded.

Festus gave him an odd look and pointed towards the clock behind him. "Jes about half past 10 in the evenin'." Festus answered. "I didn't spect you to git back this soon. Miss Kitty's sure gonna be awful glad to see ya. She was afeared ya wouldn't get home atall fer Christmas."

"Christmas?" Matt rubbed the last of the sleep from his face, trying to make sense of everything. "It's Christmas?"

"Not till mornin'." Festus grinned. "But its shore enuf promisin' ta be a purty day what with the snow and all."

Matt digested that news for a moment. "Festus, is Kitty alright?"

Festus frowned at the question. "She were when I see'd her last, Matthew. She were a frettin' about you a being out in the weather and all, but she was right as rain, otherwise."

Matt was now certain everything, including Kitty's assault, had been a dream. But still it had seemed so real. "Festus, do me a favor, will you?"

"Sure, Matthew. What ya need?"

"Go over to Doc's office. See if he's up. If not, get him up and have him come on over to the Long Branch."

Festus looked at him in alarm. "The Long Branch! Why? Ya think Miss Kitty might be a needin' him or something?"

"I don't know," Matt answered truthfully. "But I'm going to find out. Now go. And hurry."

As Festus ran from the jail, spurs a jingling, Matt hastily grabbed his coat and hat and ran as fast as he could, down to the Long Branch.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Kitty was pale, awfully pale, but Doc had assured him several times that she would be alright, with time and rest. "She's most likely got a concussion, Matt. I won't really be able to tell too much till she wakes up, but I don't think it's severe. I believe she'll be just fine."

Matt was hanging on to that promise as he sat beside her and held her hand. He realized just how much she meant to him and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

As the hours passed, the long and strange dream, he'd had, kept playing over and over in his head. He'd heard it said once that, dreams were wishes unfulfilled. He wondered about that. Was that it? Did he, deep down somewhere, want marriage and children? He'd always thought the answer to that was an unequivocal, NO.

But that dream had seemed so wonderfully real in some places. And he'd liked the feeling. He could still feel the warmth of his children's small bodies as he held them in his arms. Still smell them even. He could still remember how good it felt to hold his wife close. Still remember how happy he'd been, with them in his life. As the hours passed, the dream replayed itself in his mind, time and again. And each time, it seemed more real and so much better than his reality.

xyz

Kitty awoke Christmas morning to a headache and the worried countenance of Matt Dillon sitting close by her side, holding tightly to her hand. "Matt?" She tried to sit up but that brought on a wave of pain so strong that she aborted the attempt.

"Kitty?" He was instantly on his feet, moving even closer to her. "Doc! Doc!" He called. "She's awake!"

As Doc shuffled from the other room, Kitty looked at the unshaven appearance of the man she loved. It was obvious he hadn't had much rest, but there was something else about him that seemed different somehow.

Before she could ask him about it, however, Doc made it to her side.

"Well, young lady. Good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts." She answered honestly. Then it dawned on her. Matt was home. She looked back over him with widened eyes. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday evening. I rode straight through. Decided Garden City and Spearville could wait. I wanted to be with on Christmas."

"It's a good thing too," Doc joined in. "If he hadn't found you when he did…" He took a scrub of his mustache, not wanting to continue that thought.

Kitty looked at both men, seeing the worry in the way they looked at another and then back at her. "What happened?

"You were attacked." Matt told her. "I came over to see you and Sam told me you were back in your office. When I walked in, I found a man rifling through the safe and you on the floor, unconscious. Do you remember anything about what happened?"

"No. Nothing like that." She said thinking about the strange dream she'd had. "Did you get the man?" She asked Matt.

Matt nodded. "Got him locked up in the jail. He's just a saddle tramp looking for some quick money. He's going to get a jail sentence instead. That is, if I don't kill him first."

He muttered that last under his breath, but Kitty heard him. "Matt," she pleaded. "Let it go. Let the law take care of him."

"That's right, Mr. Lawman." Doc piped up with a grin. "You've got more important things to take care of." He nodded towards Kitty.

"That's true." Matt said with a soft smile towards Kitty. "And I guess, I haven't been doing nearly as much of that, as I should."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you admit that." Doc said. "I was beginning to think, you'd never see the truth of things. Now when you are going to do something about it?"

"Oh, Doc." Kitty sighed. She knew how uncomfortable Matt got with that kind of discussion. "Leave him alone. He's here now and I'm alright."

"He's right, Kitty." Matt agreed with the older physician, much to her surprise. "It is about time I did something."

Kitty looked at him in surprise. "Did what? Matt Dillon, what are you talking about?"

Matt got his feet under him, before bending down to place a tender kiss on her lips. Straightening up, he hooked his coat with one hand and his hat with the other. "I'll see ya later, Kitty." He told her. "I've got a couple of things to take care of. Doc, take care of her, don't let her give you any arguments."

Doc shook his head and thumbed his ear lobe. "Don't worry. She'll be right here when you get back, if I have to turn her over my knee."

"Hey!" Kitty protested. "Matt? Where are you going?"

"I'll be back in a little bit." Was his only reply as he quickly exited the office.

"Well, what the…?" Kitty looked up at Doc. "What was that about?"

"I don't know." Doc shrugged. "But I know what I hope it is."

After giving her a quick once over, Doc ordered her to rest, while he went into his front office and got some paperwork done.

Knowing she'd most likely not get past him, and not really feeling up to the challenge, Kitty laid back and thought about the dream she'd had.

That baby had seemed so real. She could still feel the one she carried, as it kicked inside of her. But how could that be? She'd never had a child before. She'd never carried one long enough to feel it kick. But it still felt so genuine. Smiling to herself, she remembered the look on Matt's face as he had held the tiny little girl in his huge hands. It was the smile of a truly happy man.

"If only dreams could come true." She muttered to herself.

Xyz

Matt walked briskly down the boardwalk. Having made up his mind as to what he wanted to do.

Returning to the jail, he grabbed a change of clothes and the bottle of cologne Kitty had given him for his last birthday. He didn't much like, what he considered to be, perfume, but Kitty did. And that was all that mattered. After leaving the jail, he high-tailed it over to the Long Branch and up the back stairs. He needed a bath. Kitty's big claw foot tub was available and being Christmas morning, the saloon was closed. Besides, he wouldn't have to get Mr. Teeters out in this weather to open up the barber shop like he was going to have to do with Mr. Lathrop.

It took him a while to heat the water and carry it up, but before too long he emerged from her rooms, bathed, shaved and dressed to the nines in his black pants, white shirt and courting jacket, including his black string tie. He wanted to look his best for what he planned to do.

After leaving the saloon via the back stairs, Matt hurried down to Mr. Lathrop's house, pounding on the door, until the store owner responded. Although Lathrop was, at first, none too happy to be pulled out into the cold on Christmas Day, he soon changed his tune, when Matt told him what he wanted to purchase.

Three hours after leaving Doc's office, Matt returned, looking like he'd stepped out of a hat box. Doc couldn't ever recall seeing Matt this dressed up. Not even for the very few dances he'd attended. Even Matt's boots were polished, Doc thought, until he took a second glance and realized they weren't only polished, they were new. Grinning like a fool, Doc said nothing as Matt crossed the bedroom door and went in to see Kitty.

"I thought it'd never happen." He said to himself.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Fifth and final chapter

Despite Doc's orders, Kitty was lying in bed, wide awake; her mind replaying her dream as well as wondering what it was, Matt had rushed off to do. When she heard the door open, she turned to see the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on walk across the room and settle himself on the bed beside her.

"How are you feeling?" He reached for her hand.

"Obviously not as good as you are." She answered with a smirk. "What's got into you? Matt, I've never seen you this dressed up."

Matt ducked his head with a slight blush, before raising it again to meet her stare. "I have something I need to ask you." He told her. "And I wanted to look my best when I did."

Kitty swallowed hard. It couldn't be, could it? "Well you sure look your best. Ask me what?"

Matt nodded as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag. Opening the bag, he extracted the gold and ruby ring he had just this day purchased. Having not the words of a poet, nor the gift of a minstrel, Matt decided the best way to do this was the direct way. Pulling her hand towards him, Matt gently slid the ring onto her finger, sealing it with a kiss. "Kitty Russell," he smiled magnificently. "Will you marry me?"

To say that the unflappable saloon owner, who'd seen and heard just about everything, was stunned, would be an understatement. She was way beyond that. "What?"

Though not exactly the answer he was expecting, he congratulated himself that she had at least not said no right off the bat. "I asked if you would marry me."

Kitty rubbed her eyes, certain she must be dreaming again. It couldn't be. Matt was dead set against marriage. He'd told her that more times than once. But no matter how hard she blinked, he was still there beside her, dressed up and smiling, patiently waiting for her answer. "Are you serious? Or are you drunk?"

Matt laughed. "Yes and no. Although I'll have to seriously consider getting drunk if you turn me down."

"Why?" She demanded. "You've never…"

"No, I haven't." He admitted quickly. "At least, I didn't think I did. But, well…" He dropped his head again. He wasn't sure he should tell her that he was proposing because of a dream, no matter how real that dream had seemed.

But he didn't have to.

"You dreamed it too. Didn't you?" Kitty said with a touch of awe. "The babies, the house, us. You dreamed it too."

Matt's head came up in a snap. "You… you had a dream like that?"

Kitty nodded slowly. "That's what I was dreaming before I woke up here. I know it was a dream, Matt, but it seemed so real. I can still feel the weight of the baby in my arms. She was… she was so much like us. Like a perfect combination of the both of us."

"Rachel." Matt smiled wistfully.

"Rachel?" Kitty gave him a startled look. "You named her?"

Matt shrugged. "Guess I did. At least we did, in my dream. I don't know what our little boy's name was or the one born after him. I woke up before I got that information."

If Kitty was stunned by his proposal, she was completely shocked by this revelation. "Are you saying we had three children?"

"In my dream, yes." Matt answered as he leaned over and kissed her. "And I can't ever recall being that happy. And I want that feeling back." Matt looked at her eagerly. "You didn't answer me, Kitty. Will you marry me?"

Kitty nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I guess I have to." She smiled, rubbing her finger gently over the ring he'd placed there. "I mean if we're going to have three children, it might be a good idea."

Xyz

Christmas evening was a jubilant affair for the Dodge City Marshal and the red headed saloon owner. Kitty hadn't been up to cooking, as she always had before, but Matt, Doc , Festus and Newly surprised her, by doing the honors, along with more than just a little help from Ma Smalley. The Long Branch was packed.

The gathering in the Long Branch that night, celebrated not only Kitty's recovery but her and Matt's upcoming marriage as well. Though the news was surprising to just about everyone, it was also welcomed. This was something that most people in Dodge always thought should have happened, a long time ago.

Later, after the meal was done, and gifts exchanged and carols sung, everyone but Matt and Kitty left the warmth of the saloon to return in the cold to their homes.

When the last person was gone and the doors closed and locked, Matt looked over at Kitty. "Happy?"

Kitty nodded. "Ecstatic. I don't think I've ever had a better Christmas in my entire life." She looked down at the ring on her finger before looking back up at Matt with a slight frown. "You do want this don't you?" She asked suddenly. "I mean… you… you didn't ask me… because I was hurt?"

Matt reached over and pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "I asked you because I love you." Still seeing doubt in her eyes, he bent down and kissed her, putting into it all of the feelings he often found so difficult to express. "Kitty," he breathed when their lips finally parted. "I'm not much in believing in portents and omens but I think that dream I had, and the one you had too, was just that. It showed us both, I think, just what we could have, how good it could be for us. I want that, Kitty. I want it real bad. Everything else pales in comparison."

Smiling in relief, Kitty wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly. "I want it too. I love you, Matt Dillon."

Xyz

"Daddy! Daddy!" Five year old Rachel yelled as she raced across the room and jumped into her father's arms when he came in. "Yer here!" She had been waiting forever, it seemed to her, for him to come home. "Granpa's in there." She pointed to her parent's bedroom. "Mama's sick."

Matt looked up in alarm at Festus who'd garnered babysitting duty for Rachel and her four year old brother, Tommy. "Is it…"

"Her times come, Matthew." Festus grinned. "Ol' Doc's in there with her now."

Setting his daughter back on her feet, Matt kissed her cheek. "Stay here with Uncle Festus, little one, and I'll check on your mama. I'll be right back." Quickly stepping over to the bedroom door, he opened it a crack and stuck his head in. "Kitty? Doc?"

"Matt!" Kitty gasped as her next contraction chose that moment to assail her.

Matt rushed on into the room, closing the door behind him. "Oh, my God." Doc was at the end of the bed and Ma Smalley was at the head, holding Kitty's hand as she struggled through the pain.

"Calm down, Matt." Doc told him as he pulled the sheet back over Kitty's legs after examining her. "The baby's not here yet. But it won't be long. Kitty's doing just fine."

Moving over to the bed, Matt bent down and kissed his wife. "I'm sorry, honey." He apologized. "I knew I should've stayed here today, instead of riding out to deliver those papers to Jake Worth."

Kitty shook her head. "You didn't know it'd be today, Matt." She smiled. "Besides, you're here now. You're not late."

"No, you're not late." Doc agreed with a grumpy scowl at the law man. "But you are in the way. You get on out of here now. You can't be of any help staying here. Go on out and boil some water or something."

Matt looked uncertainly down at Kitty. "Kitty…"

"Go on, Matt." She smiled at him. "I'm fine. I'll be okay."

"Marshal," Ma tugged at his shirt sleeve. "I promise, I'll come get you if we need you."

Matt paused for a moment longer before giving his wife one more kiss and leaving the room, heading into the kitchen. Maybe something so innocuous as boiling water would help to calm him down. He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "You'd think a man who'd been through this twice before would be calm, cool and collected." He muttered. But right then, he knew he was anything but.

When he walked into the kitchen, he started for the stove but found there was already a pot of water on the stove. A fairly new stove with four burners on top and an oven. It was just then that he remembered his dream of six years ago. His Christmas dream, he had come to call it. The one that showed him how wonderful his life would be, if he was only willing to take the chance.

"Daddy?" Matt turned and saw his daughter and son, as he expected to. "Is Mama gonna be alright? Her's been hollerin' an awful lot."

Kneeling, Matt pulled both of his children into his arms. "She's going to be just fine, Rachel. It's just that your baby brother or sister is taking time in getting here. But don't you worry, Granpa's in there with her and she'll be alright. I promise."

As Matt hugged his children tightly to him, he knew what he'd told them was true. Kitty was going to be alright. He was going to be alright. Although most people would scoff at his reasoning, he didn't care.

He knew.

A Christmas dream showed him and he now believed in dreams, especially those that came at Christmas time.

The End.


End file.
